Mary has requested that the daily message be given each day to the world. It is read nightly at the prayer service from her Image Building in Clearwater, Florida, U.S.A. This is according to her request. All attempts will be made to publish this daily message to the world at 11 p.m. Eastern time, U.S.A.We acknowledge that the final authority regarding these messages rests with the Holy See of Rome. |
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May 7, 2002
| May 8th Holy
Spirit Novena Scripture selection is Day 8 Period II. |
The Novena Rosary
Mystery for May 8th is Sorrowful. |
A Prayer for Intimacy with the Lamb,
the Bridegroom of the SoulOh Lamb of God, Who take away the sins of the world, come and act on my soul most intimately. I surrender myself, as I ask for the grace to let go, to just be as I exist in You and You act most intimately on my soul. You are the Initiator. I am the soul waiting Your favors as You act in me. I love You. I adore You. I worship You. Come and possess my soul with Your Divine Grace, as I experience You most intimately.
Pray for a very, very urgent intention and all involved.
We do not have money for
postage
to mail the Priestly Newsletter Book II
to the bishops as Jesus requested.
(Can you please help us?)
We can take donations by credit card
if you call the Morrow Center
1-888-211-3041.
Pray for 2 urgent intentions
Pictures from May 5, 2002
We prayed united with 10 states
praying for the priests, the Church and the world
for about 3 hours.
Tomorrow will be a complete set of pictures.
Rita Ring
May 5, 2002
May 5, 2002
May 5, 2002
May 5, 2002
May 5, 2002
May 5, 2002
May 5, 2002
May 5, 2002
May 5, 2002
May 5, 2002
May 7, 2002
Messenger:
Oh the love I have for the Father, Son and
Holy Spirit is so deep. My soul cries for
the things being said about our holy priests.
Oh my God, I am so sorry. Please help us to reach
the pope, the cardinals and bishops and the priests
with the Movement Our Lord gave us so they
will begin prayer chapters centered in consecration.
Oh God I love You so much. I am so sorry
for what men have said about our priests
and our Church. Oh God please don't punish
us by taking many priests away. Please don't
let the Eucharist become less available.
Oh my God, I treasure You, truly present
and in my heart now after the reception
of the Eucharist.
Please forgive us. Oh God I beg for light
that men will see. Oh Holy Spirit we pray
for such an outpouring of Your grace that
men will see with eyes unveiled and
praise God and thank Him for the gift He
gives us in the Eucharist and our Church.
Oh my God I plead and beg for grace and
mercy. Oh my God I love Thee so much.
Oh My God I am so thankful for the
priests and the Eucharist and Baptism,
Confession, Confirmation, Extreme Unction,
Holy Orders, and Matrimony.
Oh God my heart is broken for what so many
have said about the priests and the Church.
Oh God I am so sorry. Oh God please forgive
us our sins. Please bless us and grant us
mercy and light. I love You so much.
I love the Church, I love the Eucharist,
May 7, 2002 message continues
Messenger:
I love the sacraments and the priest. I am
sorry for the offenses against God.
Jesus
speaks: My chosen ones I give you
this message
today May 6, 2002.
I have called you to a deep spousal union
with your God.
This is highly mystical.
Messenger:
In the intense ecstasies I have experienced
there is such a heightened union
with my God and enlightenment
far beyond any words I can use to
describe it here.
I know my Divine God most intimately.
It is highly spiritual, it is to be
wrapped in the loving embrace of one
who fills my soul with love and
knowledge of Himself.
Excerpt from December
18, 1995
from the Mass Book
IN THE DEEPEST RECESSES OF HIS HEART
I was overtaken by the love of God. The fire of the Holy Spirit filled me. I was absorbed by the love of the Father, and I existed IN Him and in the deepest recesses of the Heart of Jesus. Our heaven on earth is these inner chambers of His magnificent Heart - the Heart of the Almighty God, with all the power, with omnipotence, with the fire of the love of God. He took me to the deepest chamber of this fiery Heart, and in that moment, I touched eternity, for I knew what it was to be enveloped in the deep furnace of His love. I now want to exist in this chamber of His Heart, swept away in His burning love, absorbed in my every cell with His love.
end of excerpt from December 18, 1995 writing
May 7, 2002 message continues
Jesus speaks: I ask you give the Blue Books and
Priestly Newsletters and the Mass
books to the priests.
I further ask all priests to begin
prayer chapters, praying for
the priests, the Church and the
world.
Messenger: We do not have any Blue Books.
All through the Blue Books Jesus says
that He is the Son of God.
Jesus speaks: I give messages to be heard.
I give to you the Mighty Medicine
for the sick world.
I give you My deep letters of
love in God's Blue Book.
I have out poured My deepest
love in these intimate
love letters.
Celibacy is a gift.
I call a person to this special life.
Those who live a celibate life
live a special life of giving
themselves to Me in a very
special way.
Messenger: Fr. Carter taught at Xavier University for 34 years.
He was given a special recognition on June 5, 2000,
but he tried to begin the fall schedule
Autumn 2000, but he became very ill.
Here is an interview with him.
Interview with Father Carter
January 20, 1995
Messenger:
Here is an interview with Father Carter
January 20, 1995.
This was the day after the meeting
January 19, 1995 referred to in yesterday's
message in which Fr. Carter attended
and very carefully discerned the
material for the meeting.
Here is an interview with Fr. Edward Carter, S.J.
January 20, 1995 in his office in
Xavier University.
This interview was on video tape.
See the beautiful building Hinkle Hall
at Xavier University and the
snow covered hill and big trees
along Victory Parkway at Dana.
April 29, 2002 message continues
Messenger:
Fr. Carter was dressed in his black collar
behind his desk with the blinds
closed behind him.
Interviewer: Father could you tell us a brief
history of
your life, recap your life, through ordination
and before you had the conversion of tears
at Lourdes.
Fr. Carter: (In his office at Xavier
University)
Well, I had a rather normal childhood, I was
born in Cincinnati, Ohio went to Guardian
Angels grade school, St. Xavier
high school, Xavier University
of which I am now a faculty member,
and after my senior year at Xavier
University I entered the Jesuits.
I was growing up before that period of
entering the Jesuits.
Fr. Carter: A few remarks about my
interests.
I was always very interested in sports.
I played much football and baseball,
tennis.
I had some thoughts as I remember about the
priesthood as early as one of my years in
high school, I forget exactly which year
for my high school career, but certainly after my
freshman year, I believe it was, at Xavier University,
after my first year of college this thought strongly
presented itself to me and then some
complications arose and it seemed best
to delay my decision, so I did and to some
extent I forgot about it but then the
beginning of my senior year the Lord came
back to me with a rather strong movement of
grace to reconsider whether I should become
a priest or not.
Fr. Carter: So I finally decided at the
beginning of my
senior year at Xavier to enter the Jesuits.
I went through the regular process of being
accepted and I entered the Milford
novitiate which is the novitiate at that
time. It was the novitiate for the Chicago
Province of the Society of Jesus out here in
Milford, Ohio which is on the outskirts of
Cincinnati—I entered on August 8, 1951 and
I took my first vows as a Jesuit two years
later on August 15, 1953. So both my first
vow date and final vow date, both of them
occurred on August 15, the Feast of the
Assumption.
Fr. Carter: So very providentially, I
was very
much linked to Mary in my Jesuit
vocation relative to my vow dates.
I always had a deep devotion to Mary.
It was obviously the workings of grace. I
can remember back very, very early in my
childhood often saying the Hail Mary throughout
the day, but all this occurred amidst as they say
a very normal childhood, adolescence.
Then after I got in the Society I followed the
regular period of training and in those
days it was a total 15 years if you
entered out of high school. Because
of my college I skipped two years of the
training, so I had 11 years to ordination
and then I had some years of doctorate—
doctoral studies after my regular training.
When I finished my doctoral work at Catholic
University in Washington which was in
theology with a concentration in spirituality,
I was assigned to teach theology at my
alma mater, Xavier University, and that was
a happy occurrence to be able to come back
to my Alma Mater and teach and I have taught
there ever since. I'm in my 29th year on the
faculty of Xavier all in Department of Theology.
Fr. Carter: My specialty in the area of
theology is spirituality
and one of my sub-specialties is the field of
mysticism.
So I've been studying mysticism many, many
years as one of my specialties in theology
and not realizing that specialty was very
providentially planned by God to prepare me
for my work now which deals so much with
mystical experiences, not only with myself,
but with certain others, analyzing apparitions,
and so forth and so on and writing about them.
So I was prepared for this very, very special
time in my life. I feel called to carry out a
very special mission which God has given
to me as originally through His mother, through
the Mother of Jesus I should say, and in more
recent months through Jesus Himself.
Any follow up questions on that?
Interviewer: Were your parents important in your
decision to
become a priest and do you have any
brothers and sisters?
Fr. Carter: I have one sister, who is
still living, no brothers,
there were just the two of us.
I would say, I received no real opposition from my parents
and they were very happy in my decision.
A little strange side mark here—really a lay
professor at Xavier University was
very influential in my deciding to enter—
I was having a lot of doubts—should I enter,
should I not enter. I imagine a lot of people
in trying to discern and decide whether they
have a vocation or not go through those periods
of doubts, and I respected this man, who
was a professor of philosophy, a very, very
spiritual man. And I just ask him if I
could talk to him one day about it and I told
him the doubts I was having. I told him I was
thinking of entering the Jesuits. He said, "Well
go to the novitiate and see what happens, if
you don't go you will never know." So for some
reason and God's providence that was a very, very
decisive factor. I'd always thought its somewhat,
if strange is the right word, perhaps its not the
right word, but I thought it worth remembering
that it was really a lay person who played a very
decisive part in my deciding to become a priest.
Interviewer: Yeah, that's wonderful Father.
The next question I have is could you describe
the first time you received a message from
Jesus in your thoughts at that time.
Fr. Carter: Well, perhaps its better to
distinguish between
when I began to receive them on a regular basis
which was in the summer of 1993 and compared
to the very, very, very, very, very, very first time
when I think I received one. The very first time I think
I received one was soon after my ordination in 1962,
but at that time I did not recognize it as a locution,
I just took it as a strong enlightenment and inspiration.
But as I look back now knowing what I do about
mystical theology, I think it was a legitimate locution,
but then after that all those many years from 1962 up
until 1993 there may have been a few other occasions
which, as I look back now, I could designate as
locutions, but I'd like to say that I began to receive
them on a regular basis in the summer of 1993. And
the one I remember most vividly was the last day
of June of 1993, and of course we all know that June
is the month of the Sacred Heart. It was the last day
of June. I was sitting at my desk and I was looking
at a picture of Jesus, that one which is reported to
resemble His or be His true image and I was looking
at that and not thinking about anything in particular and
I had the real strong message, "I want you to go to
Paray-le-Monial." And that just hit me so strongly.
And it was not the exterior type of locution which
you hear with your external ear but it was one of the
4 types of inner locutions.
Mystical theologians divide the locutions into the external
type which you hear with your external ear and the
internal type and they divide those into 4 major types.
So mine have always been the internal type. It was a very,
very strong and clear locution. Jesus said, "I want you
to go to Paray-le-Monial." Well, what or where is Paray-
le-Monial? It's a small town in France not too far from
Paris and that is where Our Lord as the Sacred Heart
appeared to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque and gave His
famous revelations concerning devotion to His Heart.
I'd always wanted to get there because Jesuits have a very,
very special connection with the experiences of Margaret
Mary because her spiritual director was St. Claude de la
Columbiere, a Jesuit. In the Society of Jesus and the
Congregation of the Visitation of which Margaret Mary
was a nun, was a member, were given a special commission
by Our Lady and Our Lord to spread devotion to His Heart.
So I always wanted to get there and thought I'd miss my last
opportunity when I was in Europe when I was there about
4 months in 1989. I came close to getting there but I didn't
make it.
So here I am June 30th, 1993, sitting at my desk and Our Lord
said, "I want you to go to Paray-le-Monial." So I began to
make the arrangements and I got over there in October on
a pilgrimage with a pilgrimage tour group in October of '93
and lo and behold I was scheduled to go there on another
tour earlier in September but things didn't work out and the
tour company had to re-arrange things so I ended up going
later in October. And can you imagine on what dates we arrived
in Paray-le-Monial? It was October, I'm a little bit ashamed if I
forget it, the 16th, I think its the 16th, we arrived there on the
very feast day of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, and we made
our holy hour there in the chapel of Apparitions where St.
Margaret Mary received the apparitions from Our Lord and
the messages, at least some of the messages connected with
devotion to His Heart.
So that is one of the very, very first, that I would say is, I would
like to look upon the time I began to receive locutions on a
regular basis, June the 30th, 1993. And it was as I say the last
day of June which is the month of the Sacred Heart and it was
a call to go to visit this very, very, very special shrine of the
Sacred Heart in Paray-le-Monial.
And so much of my calling, my own spiritual life and my work
now is connected with promoting devotion to the Heart of
Christ and to the heart of Mary. So you can see the wondrous
workings of Providence.
Interviewer: Do you still have a hard time believing
that you're still getting
messages from Jesus?
Fr. Carter: No. He gives you conviction,
internal conviction, and internal
peace, internal visions, just as there are exterior type
locutions and internal type of locutions, so there is a same
division relative to visions. There are the external types.
And there are the interior type of visions of the imagination of
the intellect and when I receive the locutions I always have the
interior vision of Our Lord under the image of the Sacred Heart.
And they always come under the tremendous sense of peace
which is one of the great signs which mystical theologians always
give for the discernment of spirits whether the experience is
from the Lord or from one's self or from the devil. So they always
are accompanied by this very, very significant peace and authority
really. Sometimes they're stronger than others but they always
come with that note of authority and peace and they always lead
to good, which is another great criteria for spiritual discernment.
By their fruits you shall know them as we have so often heard.
So these locutions have led me to an extremely close union, that's
a gift, with Jesus. So they have promoted my own spiritual growth
tremendously and they have been very much connected with my
ministry and my work for others. So they have enabled me to help
my neighbors in so many different ways.
Interviewer: That's a wonderful gift Father. Thank you so much.
end of interview with Father Carter
May 7, 2002 message continues
Messenger: I
was instructed by Jesus to put on the following
information about celibacy.
Oh My children, I love the purity of thoseExcerpt from February 8, 2002 message
Jesus speaks:
Mary speaks:
Oh my children, I cry for my
little children hearing vile
things on the television, I
cry for them.
Messenger:
Oh in the Mass we offer sacrifice
to You.
Oh we unite to that sacrifice our
whole lives we offer ourselves
in union with all the Masses
going on around the world,
we are united to the Masses by
being members of the body
of Christ -
Oh God take our humble
offering of ourselves.
Oh God forgive us for our
sins.
And the gift of the Mass -
Oh my God, I want to cry at
the consecration, I am so united
to the Father and the Son and the
Holy Spirit, I want to beg and
plead and for grace to be released,
I want it to reach the far
ends of the earth, I want union
with You God, union with
all the angels and saints in heaven
with the whole Church, I want
such oneness praying for
all the souls of the earth.
Oh it is such a great event.
And I quote from Fr. Carter's Newsletter
on grace.
Excerpt from Newsletter 2001 - Issue 1
Relationship with Members of the Church
e) Relationship with Members of the Church
There is but one true Church of Christ. Yet this one Church has three different states of existence. There is the pilgrim Church, the Church of this world, composed of members who have received the grace of Christ and strive for its development. They have not yet obtained the goal of their efforts, as have the members of the heavenly Church, who enjoy God in eternal happiness. The Church suffering is an intermediate state of existence necessary for those who had not achieved the required purification as members of the pilgrim Church. Although there are these three phases of the Church’s existence, there is a profound union existing between all the members. All these members possess the same basic life of grace in Christ, and this common life establishes the most intimate bonds of love. In our preceding chapter, we discussed the pilgrim Church. Let us now consider the Church suffering and the heavenly Church.
The members of the Church suffering are those who have departed from this life in an incomplete state of Christian development. Their development is incomplete in the sense that grace has not fully taken possession of them, and, as a result, they are yet closed in upon themselves to a greater or lesser degree. They as yet cannot open themselves out in complete love to the Triune God in the beatific vision. They must undergo a further purification, a purification which could have been achieved upon earth with merit. Now the purification must be achieved with no merit attached. The pain of this purification is mixed with the certain expectation of achieving the vision of God. We can hasten the advent of this vision for this people by the offering of prayers and other good works. Scripture itself refers to our action on behalf of those in purgatory in Chapter 12 of the Second Book of Maccabees beginning with verse 38.
The members of the heavenly Church are those in whom the life of grace has taken full possession and has reached its completion in the life of glory. Faith now is unnecessary, as the light of glory gives the human intellect a new strength and capacity for seeing God face-to-face. While the Christian was a wayfarer, he received the imprint of the indwelling Trinity as he shared in God’s own life. Now in heaven that grace-life and possession of God reaches its completion—the absolute completion is not achieved, however, until the resurrection of the body. The divine persons give Themselves to the beatified in a profound union far surpassing that of the indwelling of the Trinity experienced here below.
This life of heaven is still the Christ-life, for just as we possess a share in Trinitarian life here below as mediated by Christ, and exercise this grace-life as structured by Him, so also in heaven is the mediation of Christ present. In the words of Rahner, "One always sees the Father through Jesus. Just as immediately as this, for the directness of the vision of God is not a denial of the mediatorship of Christ as man."14 And not only does the humanity of Christ unite the blessed to God, but also, in some way, to the whole of creation. This is merely a completion of what is begun here below, namely, the union with Christ in His humanity establishing the Christian in a special relationship with God, with other men, and with the whole of creation. We have a glimpse, therefore, of the fullness of life which members of the heavenly Church possess.
The heavenly Church, as St. Thomas says, is the true Church.15 The Church of this earth and the Church of purgatory are, each in its own way, reaching out in loving hope for the heavenly Jerusalem. Vatican II puts it very simply: "The Church, to which we are called in Christ Jesus, and in which we acquire sanctity through the grace of God, will attain her full perfection only in the glory of heaven."16
The members of the heavenly Church can help us in living our life of grace until we too share its fullness with them. Their power of intercession on our behalf is but another ramification of the communal aspect of Christianity. We are meant to help others grow in Christ. We, in turn, are intended by God to receive aid from others—yes, from members of the heavenly Church, as well as from those with whom we dwell here below.
Not only can we be aided by the saints’ intercession, but the example of the canonized saints can also be of great value to us. They have concretely proved that full holiness is possible. Such an inspiration is of real worth when we are tempted to think that Christian sanctity in its higher degrees is impossible of attainment. Moreover, the canonized saints, in their diversity, teach us that there are many authentic versions of Christian holiness. They can be innovators in showing us that there are numerous possibilities in assimilating the mystery of Christ, although the basic assimilation remains the same for all Christians of all times. In the opinion of Rahner this is one of the chief roles the canonized saints exert in the life of the Church.17
NOTES:
16. Second Vatican Council, Constitution on the Church, No. 48.
17. Cf. Karl Rahner, Op. cit., pp. 100-101.end of excerpt from Newsletter 2001 - Issue 1
February 8, 2002 message continues
Messenger: Oh God we unite as one and offer ourselves
to You.Oh God please take our sacrifice our
lives offered to You in union
with the Mass.Oh God my life centers around the
Mass.Oh my God I long for the Mass.
I sing with the greatest joy to
You.Oh God I long for You, I want
You, I unite to You, I love
You so much Father,
Son and Holy Spirit, Oh
God I thank You for the gift
of the Mass.Oh God I come to You in the
pure and Immaculate Heart
of my Mother.Oh God I offer this sacrifice
of myself to Thee.Oh God I give You myself
completely.Oh God I thank You, You
are so good to Me.Oh God You are so
good to us.Oh God make us holy.
Oh God please give us
Yourself in the
Holy Eucharist.Oh God please help us
to love You and be
holy.Oh God help us to be pure.
I give myself to God.
I dwell in the pure and holy
Hearts of Jesus and Mary.I want my sacrifice, my
offering to be so holy.Oh God, I unite in this
sacrifice of Yourself
given for us.Oh God I give You myself
united to the Mass.Oh God I can make spiritual
communions all through
the day.Oh we receive the living God when
we go to communion at Mass.Jesus comes to us and gives us Himself.
Oh I long for Him and I want Him
within me.I love Him so very much.
I just want to be with Him
in the deepest union.I want Him.
He is my beautiful God.
I long for these moments in which
I am alone with Him.I know I will not receive Him again
like this until I go to Mass again.I treasure the gift of the Eucharist.
I treasure being so united to Him.
I don't want this deep union with
Him to ever end.Oh God I sing to You and I sing of
my joy within to receive You
in the Mass.Oh my God I love You, I love
You, I love You
so much.
Sing to the glory of God.
Honor Him.
Praise Him.
Love Him.
Please pray as Jesus instructed
for our priests.
Please help us get the
Priestly Newsletter Book
II in the hands of
all priests of the world and
pray for grace for those
who read it and pray the prayers.
Pray for grace for people to
begin prayer chapters
praying for our priests,February 8, 2002 message continues
Messenger:
Thank God for the Mass.
Pray for the Mass Book II and Cathy
and Emily and funds for it.
Thank God, praise Him,
pray for grace to know Him and
love Him and honor Him.
Pray for grace to be a
Shepherds of Christ to
help lead the strayed ones
home to His Heart.
A beautiful man told me yesterday he teaches
school and he told the children,
"Do you know how many were killed
on September 11, 2001. There are
many killed in abortions every day."
I don't know how many are killed through
abortions every day, but listen to
the message I got on Super Bowl
Sunday concerning abortions -
Excerpt from February 3, 2002
Jesus speaks: Another letter.
Dear Jesus,
I carry my baby in my womb.
I didn't know how I would ever tell
my parents what had happened. They were
good parents. I started experimenting
with my boyfriend. I starting wearing
alluring clothes. My parents didn't even know
how enticing some of the clothes were.
I wore them when my boyfriend and I were
together. I really liked the way if felt when
we were close. I hid it from my parents, but
my boyfriend had a car and we went to
movies and saw many films that
led us into more and more sin. His parents
weren't home a lot so we watched movies
that would get us excited. It was easy
to give into the temptations and I thought
about the fun a lot, of being so close
and experimenting sexually.
Today I was tempted to get an abortion
and from no where a young girl came to
our school and told us how she was
pregnant out of wedlock and she
killed her baby. She said she has had
terrible dreams and the only thing that
helped her was to turn to You, Jesus and ask for
Your forgiveness. She feels she killed an
innocent little tiny baby. She can't
believe she ever got in such a predicament
and did that, but she was afraid to tell
her parents. She didn't want to kill the
baby, she was so afraid.
Jesus, I felt you sent the girl to school
for me.
I wish that schools would teach us more
about the trouble we could get in,
than all the "high falutting" things we
learn there and they test us on it and
put so much pressure on us to be so
smart intellectually, then Jesus, look
what can happen to us that really
messes up our lives.
Jesus, I am only 14 years old. I fought with
my parents and gave them a hard time.
My birthday was really late so I got into
school a year earlier that everybody else.
My boyfriend was already experienced, he
taught me a lot of things, I was too
young to learn. My mom would pray her
rosary for me when I would fight her
so much. I am now at the end of my
sophomore year in high school and my
virginity is long gone at 14. I knew what
I was doing was wrong, but it felt good
and I liked doing it. Now I know I
was being tempted to sin. Now my life
is really a mess. I thank you God for
sending that girl to my school and
I thank you for my Catholic education.
I don't think a girl like that would
have gone to a public school.Not to late to save my baby
end of excerpt from February 3, 2002
February 8, 2002 message continues
Mary speaks: Oh my children pray for your priests
as my Son Jesus has told you.
The priests must tell the
people what is right and
wrong.Oh my children, my Son
Jesus is the truth -Oh my children listen to
Him.Oh my children, pray as He has
instructed.
THROUGH HIM, WITH HIM AND IN HIM
February 8, 2002 message continues
Messenger:
The Mass is my life.I must write about it and
the gift God gives us
in His holy priests.Oh my God this is
indeed awesome.I LOVE YOU
AND ADORE YOU
and sing Your praise.
A priest is a gift from
God.God gives us Himself
in the Eucharist.
John 6: 35-59
Jesus answered them:
I am the bread of life.
No one who comes to me will ever hunger;
no one who believes in me will ever thirst.
But, as I have told you,
you can see me and still you do not believe.
Everyone whom the Father gives me
will come to me;
I will certainly not reject
anyone who comes to me,
because I have come from heaven,
not to do my own will,
but to do the will of him who sent me.
Now the will of him who sent me
is that I should lose nothing
of all that he has given to me,
but that I should raise it up
on the last day.
It is my Father’s will
that whoever sees the Son
and believes in him
should have eternal life,
and that I should raise that person up
on the last day.Meanwhile the Jews were complaining to each other about him, because he had said, ‘I am the bread that has come down from heaven.’ They were saying, ‘Surely this is Jesus son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know. How can he now say, “I have come down from heaven?” ’ Jesus said in reply to them, ‘Stop complaining to each other.
‘No one can come to me
unless drawn by the Father who sent me,
and I will raise that person up
on the last day.
It is written in the prophets:
They will all be taught by God;
everyone who has listened to the Father,
and learnt from him,
comes to me.
Not that anybody has seen the Father,
except him who has his being from God:
he has seen the Father.
In all truth I tell you,
everyone who believes has eternal life.
I am the bread of life.
Your fathers ate manna in the desert
and they are dead;
but this is the bread
which comes down from heaven,
so that a person may eat it and not die.
I am the living bread
which has come down from heaven.
Anyone who eats this bread
will live for ever;
and the bread that I shall give
is my flesh, for the life of the world.’Then the Jews started arguing among themselves, ‘How can this man give us his flesh to eat?’ Jesus replied to them:
In all truth I tell you,
if you do not eat
the flesh of the Son of man
and drink his blood,
you have no life in you.
Anyone who does eat my flesh
and drink my blood
has eternal life,
and I shall raise that person up
on the last day.
For my flesh is real food
and my blood is real drink.
Whoever eats my flesh
and drinks my blood
lives in me
and I live in that person.
As the living Father sent me
and I draw life from the Father,
so whoever eats me
will also draw life from me.
This is the bread
which has come down from heaven;
it is not like the bread our ancestors ate:
they are dead,
but anyone who eats this bread
will live for ever.This is what he taught at Capernaum in the synagogue.
Excerpt from July/August 1997 Priestly Newsletter
Thoughts on the Eucharist
A faithful shepherd takes care of his sheep in all their needs. This includes providing them with the proper food. Jesus, the perfect Shepherd, abundantly provides for the nourishment of His flock. In the Eucharist He gives Himself in His body, blood, soul and divinity for our spiritual growth. He also feeds us through His word, through His teaching. The gospel of John, in Chapter 6: 35-59 combines both of these ways-Christ nourishing us through His teaching and through the Eucharist. This particular section of John's gospel gives us Jesus' great discourse on the Bread of Life. The first part, verses 35-50, speaks of the teaching of Jesus as nourishment, as the bread of life. This first part contains, therefore, the so-called sapiential theme. The second part, verses 51-59, speaks of the Eucharist as our heavenly nourishment. This part, therefore, contains the sacramental theme. The Mass, of course, contains both aspects of John's Bread of Life theme. In the Mass we have the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist-and they are profoundly connected.
Both aspects of the Bread of Life theme reveal God's tremendous love for us. The Eucharist is the sacrament of Jesus' great love for us, and His teaching is summed up in terms of love-God's overwhelming love for us and our duty to love God and neighbor. Each day we should pray for an increased realization of how much God, in Christ Jesus Our Lord, loves each of us with a most special, unique love. Growing in this awareness and living according to this awareness are keys to growth in the spiritual life. The more we are convinced of how much Jesus loves us as unique individuals, the more able are we to enter into a deep love relationship with Jesus. And, if we have the proper love relationship with Jesus, everything else falls into place. Yes, as our union with Jesus grows, He leads us, amid all the pain and all the joy, to an ever closer union with the Father in the Holy Spirit with Mary, our Mother, at our side.
end of excerpt from Newsletter July/August 1997
February 8, 2002 message continues
Messenger: He fills me with such
joy to behold Him.
Oh God You are so goodFebruary 8, 2002 message continues
Messenger:
Oh God of Thee
my heart sings.
I love Thee so much.
Oh God, I love Thee.
Make us holy.
Help our priests to be holy.
Lead the strayed ones home to Your
heart.
Prayer for Priests
Lord Jesus, Chief Shepherd of the Flock, we pray that in the great love and mercy of Your Sacred Heart You attend to all the needs of Your priest-shepherds throughout the world. We ask that You draw back to Your Heart all those priests who have seriously strayed from Your path, that You rekindle the desire for holiness in the hearts of those priests who have become lukewarm, and that You continue to give Your fervent priests the desire for the highest holiness. United with Your Heart and Mary's Heart, we ask that You take this petition to Your heavenly Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit. Amen
We only have one life to live.February 8, 2002 message continues
Messenger:
Time is so short.
When we go to bed tonight I can
never live the moments of
this day again.
Excerpt from Newsletter 2001 Issue 1
The pages of the book of our lives are being written. These moments of our lives are so dear to God, for we offer our lives as a sacrifice for souls.
Are we spending the precious moments of our lives offering sacrifice to God for His honor and glory and giving our lives as a sacrifice for souls?
Write a short page every day or the following day, similar to an examination of conscience, seeing the good (so much good we accomplish we overlook, so many precious moments of joy we forget) and the times we were troubled.
The devil tries to keep us focused on the problems.
We are His shepherds, helping to shepherd His flock, there is so much good we can accomplish every day.
We should write a short page every day, date it, read over it when we are troubled, keep it in a book, see how many joyful moments we have every day.
Give them to God as a bouquet of flowers placed at His feet on that last day, the pages of the life of our book.
We will want all pages to be done in love, all for the honor and glory of God....
Put the flowers as gifts beneath the throne of God.
Plead and beg for souls.
Offer sacrifice. Be united as a body.
And the bell tolls.
Do you hear the bells toll?
The moments of our lives we cannot live again.
We are here to love and honor God and to serve Him, to prepare ourselves for the life hereafter and to help others get there.
He is the Son of God.
He showed us how to be children of the Father.
He laid down His life for His flock.
He is the Good Shepherd.
We lay down our lives in our Morning Offering.
We lay down our lives and unite to the perfect Sacrifice of the Savior.
The moments go by with such swiftness and now here is the day, the kids are grown, the grandchildren have come, and we still say, "TOMORROW I will be about my union with God."
There are so many precious moments that could have been united as a sacrifice for special grace for ourselves and others.
When He was here on earth, He merited grace by His life and death.
We need to tap into this grace our Divine Savior came to earth to gain for us.
We must tap into this sacrifice.
The moments of our lives tick away. There are millions of souls in nursing homes that could be offering up their lives for souls. We have to unite ourselves and reach them, all the souls that will hear us and unite to this Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. He is the Head, we are the members of His body, the Church. We must be united in the Mass, praying every moment together, being one in Him in this Holy Sacrifice so that great grace will be released.
All our most difficult trials, when we endure them with love, can help to bring down great grace.
The moment is now.
The bell is tolling.
I can only live in this moment.
I must unite it to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, praying for souls.
Every moment, whether of joy or suffering, can be a moment of grace being released for our needs, for the salvation of souls, to make reparation to God, to honor and love Him and obey Him.
OUR LIVES ARE INDEED PRECIOUS, every moment, a moment that our Father gave us as a child of God for His honor and glory.
Alleluia – God, help us unite as a body.
Alleluia – God, help us to see ourselves all one as the family of the Father with Mary our loving Mother.
How will the page of our book look for the Father? Whether we write or not, we lived it as He willed or we lived it against His will.
Were our moments, moments to give Him honor and glory, to help promote the kingdom, to help save souls and lead others to God? Did the moments help us have a higher place in heaven? Did we mature more in our love relationship with God?...
Our precious moments are to be petals of flowers we give to our Father for that last day.
The moments of our lives are being written. He has them all recorded in our book of life.
August 8, 1946.
Today is the day I was born into the world.
What a glorious day it was, for I came and had the opportunity to gain heaven and help others do likewise.
The bell tolls.
The long night will soon be over.
A new spring day buds forth.
In the fall, the leaves give way to winter and soon we see the days are gone and past. How did we love and serve the Lord?
The trees are barren, the trees are in full bloom – the years go by, the seasons change, a small sore, a big blockage in the heart, soon the long hard nights come to a close and the glory of the long days waited, arrives. God gives His people what is their due.
How did we love and serve our God? How did we promote the kingdom on earth?
How did we live?
How did we follow in the Good Shepherd’s footsteps and lay down our lives for our friends?
end of excerpt from Newsletter 2001 Issue 1
I am so happy to be a messenger of
February 8, 2002 message continues
Messenger:
~ July 31, 1994 ~
Feast of St. Ignatius
Words of Jesus to Members
of Shepherds of Christ Associates:"My beloved priest-companion, I intend to use the priestly newsletter, Shepherds of Christ, and the movement, Shepherds of Christ Associates, in a powerful way for the renewal of My Church and the world.
"I will use the newsletter and the chapters of Shepherds of Christ Associates as a powerful instrument for spreading devotion to My Heart and My Mother's Heart.
"I am calling many to become members of Shepherds of Christ Associates. To all of them I will give great blessings. I will use them as instruments to help bring about the triumph of the Immaculate Heart and the reign of My Sacred Heart. I will give great graces to the members of Shepherds of Christ Associates. I will call them to be deeply united to My Heart and to Mary's Heart as I lead them ever closer to My Father in the Holy Spirit."
- Message from Jesus to Father Edward J. Carter, S.J., Founder, as given on July 31, 1994,
feast of Saint Ignatius Loyola, Founder of the Society of Jesus (The Jesuits)end of July 31, 1994 message given to Fr. Carter
November 4, 2001 message continues
Jesus speaks: To those who
pray My prayers I
promise
the following special
graces:
 |
- A deeper understanding of the - I promise a deeper love in your heart - Those who pray the prayers fervently |
- They will have a deeper love of the Mass
through this deeper consecration.
[consecration to Their Hearts]- They will know Me more intimately.
- They will want to live their lives to
help save souls.- They will have a deeper love for the priests shepherds.
- They will have a deeper love and dedication
to the Church. (I founded)- They will want peace on the earth.
- They will want peace in their own hearts.- You will experience a fearlessness the more
you pray the Holy Spirit Novena prayers
given to you.- As you meditate on the scriptures you will
understand more fully the plan of
the Father to lead the souls into the
great Reign of My Sacred Heart.- You and all who pray the Holy Spirit Novena
and the Shepherds of Christ Prayers will be
united in a deep oneness with each other
and the souls of the earth.- The more you pray these prayers (both sets)
you will live in the truth as you
dwell in Our Hearts.- You will be given gifts of the Holy Spirit.
- You and your family will be protected by
My Precious Blood and your families
will receive special protection
against satan from fervent recitation
of the prayers. (the Holy Spirit Novena
and the Shepherds of Christ Prayers)- I promise to take you and the members of
your family in a special way
into My Sacred Heart. I will lavish
you in the fires of My love.- The priests and the people of the Church and the world
will receive special graces from the fervent
recitation of these prayers. (both sets)- I will unite My people in a deeper love
from the graces granted from
fervent recitation of these prayers.- I give these prayers from My image site
in Florida.
I appear there daily as the Sacred Heart.
Some see Me, some do not, but there
is a special presence there.
My Mother appears there for her children.- In the five years of her apparitions many
souls who have come have been
given special graces of conversion.
Many have been given grace to lead
them into a deeper love union with
God and the Blessed Virgin.
- The image site in Florida has touched
the world.- I outpour great grace to those who come
to the site.- There are tremendous graces of healing
granted to all who come.- People who come rarely leave unchanged.
- The grace granted works in their lives and in
their hearts, long after they have gone.- A reminder of their visit only need be given
and they experience a memory of
that moment.
A priest is a GIFT FROM God!February 8, 2002 message continues
Messenger:
He gives us Himself in the
Eucharist.
February 8, 2002 message continues
Jesus speaks:
I love you, I love you, I
love you. I thank you for your
life given to Me. I thank you for
being Shepherds of Christ. I love you so much.
This is real. I speak to you.
God the Father speaks:
I give you the gift of My Son
truly present in the Eucharist. I love you
so much. I am your Father.
end of February 8, 2002 message
December 13, 2001
A message from Jesus for handmaids and servants and Religious
Religious Life, That special commitment as the Spouse of Christ
Jesus speaks: Do not
give into temptation. Pray for grace to
withstand temptations. You want to love and serve your
God. You must not give into the tauntings of satan that
can lead you into sin. You say "I only want to serve God,
I do not want to offend Him, you cannot entertain thoughts that
can lead you into sin.
There is genuine love amongst the brethren, loving according
to God's will. People loving according to God's will stay focused
on serving God.
True love always leads the other into a deeper love union with
God. For those in religious life there can be deep holy love
between persons, they do not entertain thoughts of romantic love.
They want their thoughts to be pure according to God's will.
People who genuinely love each other want to serve God
according to His will.
Messenger as directed by Jesus
The work in religious life requires men and women to work
together. There is always purity in the intentions to further
God's Kingdom and help each other go to heaven.
There can be a deep spiritual bond between persons in
the religious life to do God's work, entertaining thoughts
of romantic love is not permitted.
Love can be very deep between people serving God, but
it is always to lead the other deeper in their relationship
with God.
Some old schools prohibited men and women in religious
life from working with each other. This can stop the work
of furthering God's Kingdom if it is God's will people work
together.
The focus in love relationships between religious parties
is always to do God's will. Religious persons always have
their relationship focused on God. When religious persons
have relationships with other persons it is not like a courtship
as between persons who are free and looking for a marriage
partner.
The focus of religious who work with other religious of the
opposite sex is always primarily on God. They see their
relationship with God as a most special spousal union.
They want to serve Him as their spouse.
Engaging in ways that promote a physical sexual
relationship with another when a person is a religious is not
permitted if one is called to a life of celibacy.
The person should have very pure intentions in their heart.
They have God as the center in their heart always,
although others may have a special relationship with
them.
The devil wants people to be in relationships that can be
sinful. He can try to tempt ineligible partners to be too close,
not according to God's will or, he can try to tempt
them to be divided.
The answer is purity of intention. All relationships should
be according to God's will. Each person should help
the other grow in their spiritual life and
each person should want to be more pure and
more deeply united to God.
We need to work together, cutting off relationships between
men and women in religious life entirely can be
blocking what God wants. God may desire people of
opposite sexes to work with each other to accomplish
His work. Stopping that relationship God desires
can block His work.
People in religious life do not give into the temptation of
making the other more important than Jesus, their
spouse, they are one in Him according to God's
will, they are one with each other and others.
They are united deeply in the Hearts of Jesus and Mary
for His holy purpose of promoting His Kingdom.
1 Corinthians 12: 12-30
The analogy of the body
For as with the human body which is a unity although it has many parts—all the parts of the body, though many, still making up one single body—so it is with Christ. We were baptised into one body in a single Spirit, Jews as well as Greeks, slaves as well as free men, and we were all given the same Spirit to drink. And indeed the body consists not of one member but of many. If the foot were to say, ‘I am not a hand and so I do not belong to the body,’ it does not belong to the body any the less for that. Or if the ear were to say, ‘I am not an eye, and so I do not belong to the body,’ that would not stop its belonging to the body. If the whole body were just an eye, how would there be any hearing? If the whole body were hearing, how would there be any smelling?
As it is, God has put all the separate parts into the body as he chose. If they were all the same part, how could it be a body? As it is, the parts are many but the body is one. The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I have no need of you,’ and nor can the head say to the feet, ‘I have no need of you.’
What is more, it is precisely the parts of the body that seem to be the weakest which are the indispensable ones. It is the parts of the body which we consider least dignified that we surround with the greatest dignity; and our less presentable parts are given greater presentability which our presentable parts do not need. God has composed the body so that greater dignity is given to the parts which were without it, and so that there may not be disagreements inside the body but each part may be equally concerned for all the others. If one part is hurt, all the parts share its pain. And if one part is honoured, all the parts share its joy.
Now Christ’s body is yourselves, each of you with a part to play in the whole. And those whom God has appointed in the Church are, first apostles, secondly prophets, thirdly teachers; after them, miraculous powers, then gifts of healing, helpful acts, guidance, various kinds of tongues. Are all of them apostles? Or all prophets? Or all teachers? Or all miracle–workers? Do all have the gifts of healing? Do all of them speak in tongues and all interpret them?
Cling to Me
May 13, 1993
Jesus speaks: My dear child, if you stay close to Me, then I live in you and you live in Me. I am He Who created you and I love you with such an intensity that you will never know. My words are your truth. You must abide in My heart in all things. There is no room for doubt. My ways are steadfast, direct, and without error.
You must stay rooted in Me to ward off the power of the evil one. His grip is paralyzing and crippling. His power is stronger every day.
When you live in Me, I am in your heart and he has no power over Me. I am your God. I am your true lover. I want to protect you. I want to guard you from this force. Stay rooted firmly in Me and he will have no power.
I am He Who comforts you. My hand is upon you. Hold tight to Me, My child. My eyes are fixed right on you. You are My most precious child. I love you as no other can. My arms are about you. My tenderness surrounds you. My love is in your heart. You go not alone. I walk with you.
I share every aspect of your life with you. Cling to Me, feel My presence. It is warm and secure within your chest. There is no room for fear, for I cast out fear and bring you comfort and joy.
end of May 13, 1993 message
December 13, 2001 message continues
Messenger: Religious persons never want to cross the
line of being
united in a way that is not pleasing to God. They do
not want to jeopardize their vocation to this special
calling of having Jesus as their special spouse. Satan
will tempt them to want to be united in ways
not pleasing to God.
Satan works in passion. He wants them to cross
the line and sin.
Their desire for deeper union with God and committment
as a special spouse of Christ is their primary
concern.
Their desire for God is upper most.
Their desire to do His will is foremost.
Their desire to love God and not offend Him is uppermost.
They can discipline themselves and work with each other in
deep love, never crossing the line that could lead to
diversion from the fact, God is their special spouse,
they make a commitment in their hearts to celibacy.
All men are to be one in holy love.
The deeper our union with God, the more capable we are of
loving more deeply.
There can be very deep union amongst people dwelling in the
Hearts of Jesus and Mary. There is genuine love according
to God's will, it never gives into improper touching for those
in religious life. The purity of intention is there to
love and serve God.
Religious give themselves in a special way to God.
They give themselves completely to Him.
In these times where God is so offended by the sins of the flesh,
the gift of oneself given to God in the religious life is very
pleasing to Him.
It helps make reparation for the offenses committed against
Him sexually. His body was beaten and bloodied, His flesh
was torn, His Precious Head crowned with thorns for our
sins.
A person that gives themselves to God and takes a vow of
celibacy is giving God a special gift of themselves.
This takes a special grace from God and the willingness
of the person to cooperate with that grace.
It is a calling from God.
He calls the person to do this. He gives them special grace.
In this age of sordid sexual activities, this special
gift of self is so very pleasing to God.
Where so many offend God with their bodies God is so
pleased by the religious who love Him so much and
live this very special union with Him.
They should also pray for special grace to live this life.
What is important always is that we live God's will.
What is God's will for each person in their state in life?
Does God call certain people to have a special love
union with Him?
What is the role of the religious?
What is desire for me today?
God also calls married people to live their special
vocation?
What is God's will for your state of life?
end of December 13, 2001
Excerpt from The Pain and the Joy
by Father Edward Carter, S.J.
39
Celibacy
Celibacy lived for the sake of the kingdom of God is an important aspect of the Church's life. The fact that our times have witnessed a decrease in the number of celibates does not detract from the fact that celibacy has always been, and is, a powerful force in the life of the Christian community.
Jesus, the founder of Christianity, lived a celibate existence. There have always been those within the Church who have been willing to renounce the great good which is marriage in order to continue this celibate witness.
Committed celibacy is a very meaningful sign pointing to transcendent values. By renouncing one of life's great gifts—marriage—committed celibacy makes a statement to all who would listen that there is something beyond the visible and the tangible. Celibacy is a forceful reminder that there is something beyond marriage and all the other tangible goods associated with life upon this earth. Committed celibacy, then, is a witness to the transcendent dimension of our life of grace in Christ. It is a sign with both present and eschatological dimensions. It points to both the invisible life of grace as lived here below, and to the eschatological fulfillment of that Christ-life in eternity.
The celibate enjoys a certain freedom that the married person does not enjoy. This freedom is another of celibacy's values. A married person must always be aware of his or her obligations to spouse and children. God intends such a person to render a service to Church and world which is compatible with these obligations. Inevitably, this puts certain limitations upon the apostolic—the ministerial—activities of the married person. Celibate freedom, then, is a very significant value in the life of the Church, and the long list of achievements by celibates throughout the history of the Church gives undeniable testimony to this fact.
Celibacy, however, has its own set of restrictions. We must recognize that both celibacy and marriage have limitations attached to them as these vocations make their particular contributions in the work of the Church. They both are life-forms of Christian love, although in different ways. The important thing is for a person to decide which state God intends for him or her. And that state is the one in which the person thinks he or she can best love God and neighbor.
end of excerpt from The Pain and the Joy
Excerpt from Response in Christ
by Father Edward Carter, S.J.
TEN Christian Love
b) Man-Woman Friendships
Some seem to distrust friendships between men and women, unless, of course, these are part of the integral pattern leading to marriage. Is this a correct attitude? We should examine the question, since it is of particular contemporary concern.7
In giving an answer to this question there are two extremes which should be avoided. One extreme says that to achieve personal fulfillment every man and woman must have a deep interpersonal relationship with a person of the opposite sex. If this is not achieved through marriage, it must be achieved through a celibate form of interpersonal communion. The other extreme says that an intimate personal relationship with a person of the opposite sex must always be considered suspect for the unmarried, whether they be priests, religious or laity. Let us briefly examine these two extreme positions.
There are countless examples of unmarried men and women in the Church who have achieved Christian maturity, including personality development, without intimate, hetero-sexual relationships. This is a fact which is true today, as it has been in the past also. Simply stated, the facts do not substantiate the claim of those who maintain that, whether married or not, every man needs a woman and every woman needs a man.
The opposite opinion which condemns every intimate man-woman relationship beyond the vocation of marriage is equally false. Here again, the facts are the proof. There are classical examples of deep friendship involving celibate men and women. Included in such a list are St. Francis de Sales and St. Jane Frances de Chantal, Jordan of Saxony and Diana of Andalo. St. Ignatius Loyola also had friends who were women, and, close to our own day, Teilhard de Chardin maintained a deep, personal relationship with his cherished cousin. The history of the Church, past and present, proves that God's providence can lead certain celibate men and women to meaningful and very beneficial friendships with those of the opposite sex. It is a testimony to God's grace that these friendships can exist, and even become very profound, while the erotic element is properly sublimated. This is not to say that all man-woman friendships among those vowed to celibacy have remained noble, but what other gift of God to man has not also been abused?
Among other values, such friendships give an eschatological witness to eternal life. In heaven there will be no marriage. But all the saved, whether male or female, will be deeply united in love, not only with God, but also with one another. Consequently, the fact that these relationships are not intended for every celibate man and woman does not mean they are not intended for any of them. If this type of friendship is to remain authentically Christian, however, the persons involved must be committed to a desire for progress in the Christian life. They must have already achieved a certain degree of spiritual and affective maturity, and they should have some worthwhile goal that transcends their own relationship. The achievement of this goal, in fact, is meant to be promoted by their friendship.
Without becoming anxious, and while not overemphasizing possible dangers involved, those engaged in a man-woman friendship should be realistic and be guided by the virtue of prudence. If one feels reasonably assured that such a relationship is according to God's will, one may prudently expose himself to possible risks involved.
c) Friendship as a School of LoveFriendship is a form of Christian love. It is therefore intended by God to help make me a Christian who loves more sincerely, more deeply, more selflessly. Friendships are not meant to close in upon themselves. Through friendship we should be learning how to go out of ourselves anew in love to God and man. This is true because I cannot authentically love a friend without at the same time growing in my capacity to relate more deeply in love to God and others. In friendship I should be learning how to love more perfectly.
Since friendship is a school of love, it is evident why it cannot be exclusive. A friendship which makes me less loving towards others needs examination. Although, I have a special love for my friends, exclusiveness must be avoided. Jealousy or neglect of duty arising from a friendship are other indications that not all is right with the relationship. These and other possible negative characteristics should not overly surprise us if they appear, especially in a minor way. If they appear, they are merely a sign that we are still learning to love, and that at times we fail to some extent. However, negative characteristics, especially those of a serious nature, must be either eliminated or properly controlled. If there is a case of a serious disorder which cannot be corrected, the course of action seems obvious. The friendship – or what was a friendship – should be terminated, for the relationship has ceased to be a form of real Christian love.
As always, though, we should accentuate the positive. We should be optimistic about our friendships, confident that with God's grace they will always remain what they should be. This grace of God has been made concrete for us in the person of Christ. For the Christian, Christ should be present in every friendship. It is in His presence and with His help that our friendships are to be rooted. In this way they will flourish and become more beneficial, more profound and more beautiful.
5. Christian Love Exercised According to the Various VocationsSince the Christian life is rooted in love, all of its various vocations are primarily vocations to love. The single life in the world, the married life, the religious life and the priestly life, are all various life-forms in which the multiple dimensions of Christian love are to be exercised and experienced. In this context of Christian love we will make brief observations concerning each of these vocations.
Some choose to remain single; others have to resign themselves to such a vocation. In either case the committed Christian will positively choose to use the single state in a loving service of God and man. If such a positive choice is made, the single state can be a very meaningful life of dedicated love, even visibly so. A single person who has given such a witness is Dr. Thomas Dooley, the young American doctor who gave his life to the poor, diseased, forgotten people in a far-off corner of the world.
The lives of the vast majority of single persons will be much more hidden than that of Dr. Dooley. The important matter is that these also be lives of love. The single person should be convinced that he or she can make a contribution to the Church that those in other vocations cannot. This type of life can be a full and happy one despite the inevitable loneliness which at times will make itself felt. This loneliness can to a large extent be offset by the formation of meaningful friendships and other healthy personal encounters. In such relationships the single person can receive the acceptance and love which in part will help him to grow in his particular form of Christian life.
As we turn our attention to the vocation of marriage, we immediately notice a significant difference which distinguishes this vocation from the others. Marriage is a life-form of love which binds two human beings in the closest union possible. This fact gives a very definite structure to the manner in which man and wife approach the Christian life.
Union in marriage first of all gives a basic orientation to one's stance before God. Ideally, it is a question of approaching God in various ways with another person. This, of course, does not mean that a married person does not often approach God just as does the non-married. But the undeniable truth does remain. Married people in many ways stand together before God in love, and together receive His love.
By their exercise of married love, man and wife should be growing in the capacity of loving God and receiving His love. For in learning to give themselves as completely as possible to one another spiritually, physically, and in every other way, man and wife should be learning how to give themselves more perfectly to God. And in opening themselves to one another's love, they should be learning to open themselves more authentically to God's love.
The married have to be related in love not only to God, to one another, and to their children, but also to all men – and to some in a very direct manner. Here again marriage is a school of love. Man and wife in their mutual sharing of love are to learn how to give and receive love in reference to those outside the family circle. They should realize their responsibility as married persons in contributing to the building of a better world influenced by the truth of Christ. Man and wife, precisely because of their married love, have their own special responsibility to love man and his world. They have received a gift in one another's love, and this gift is meant to overflow into the world of men. The married love of husband and wife is intended not only to enrich their own lives, but those of many others, who are the recipients of their capacity to love, a capacity which is increased by the proper exercise of married and parental love.
Finally, we now consider the celibate love of priests and religious. This type of love is also a life-form of loving. This form of Christian loving has its own particular contribution to make to the Church and world. One facet of this contribution is the powerful witness value of celibate love. The celibate priest and religious give an unmistakable manifestation that God has entered this world and given Himself in love to man. For celibate love, with its renunciation of marriage, is a striking testimony that God can seize a person with His loving grace and enable that person to sacrifice one of man's most treasured gifts, marriage. This visible witness of God's love among us is always a necessity in the Church, and no other vocation can give this witness in the same way as can that of publicly professed celibacy.
Another advantage attached to the celibate life is that it allows for a type of service to Church and world which marriage ordinarily does not allow. Celibacy gives a physical and material freedom which is not possible in marriage. A married person always has to be aware of his obligation to spouse and children. God intends such a person to render a service to Church and world which is compatible with these obligations. Inevitably, this usually means a certain limitation on the contributions the married vocation can make to the life of the Church, although, as already indicated, the service married couples are intended to give is great in its own way. What we are actually saying is that each vocation in the Church has its own limitations as it makes its own peculiar contribution to the work of Christ.
We believe that history proves our point concerning celibacy. The celibate life has played a major role in much of the apostolic work of the Church throughout the ages. It seems impossible that the same degree of apostolic service could have been achieved without religious and priestly celibacy. (Notice, that in regard to the priesthood, we are not claiming that a married clergy alongside a celibate clergy in the Western Church will not be able to make its own particular contribution if the Church eventually permits it.)
In claiming that celibacy has attached to it a peculiar freedom which is meant to allow a more universal type of service given to one's fellowman, we are not pretending that this freedom to love and serve has not at times been hindered, sometimes severely so. As Church structures are renewed, we must strive to eliminate those unnecessary obstacles which have exteriorly hindered priests and religious from rendering the type of service to man which their celibate life-form itself permits. Notice, we speak of an exterior hindrance. For no one and no structure can ever prevent one from loving interiorly. In God's plan of redemption this interior love has its own great salvific force.
There is a final point we wish to make in reference to the celibate love of religious life. We refer to the various types of personal encounter which are possible both within and without the religious community. For many, many years deep friendship between fellow religious was looked upon askance by many. It was thought that such a relationship detracted from the universal love which a religious should have for all members of the religious family. This theory is based upon a false psychology and theology of love. We have observed above that friendship is a school of love. The love of friendship helps increase my capacity to love God and all others. To the extent that a friendship does not make me a person with a capacity to love everyone more deeply, to that degree it is less a real friendship. Authentic friendships between fellow religious, then, ultimately make for the greater happiness and union in love of the entire religious family. Furthermore, there is no reason why a religious should not have the opportunity of forming friendships with those outside his or her own religious community.
In conclusion, we repeat that every state of life within the Church is fundamentally a particular life-form of Christian love. According to his vocation it is the primary task of the Christian to open himself to God's love and to respond to that love, to love man and to open himself to receive love from other human persons. These various dimensions of love are at the heart of our participation in Christ's death-resurrection. It is in trying to love properly that we really learn what it means to die with Christ. Receiving God's love and giving ourselves in return can cost us much, very much, at times. And to love others and open ourselves to their love can involve its own share of pain, hurt and frustration. Yes, to love properly truly means to die with Christ. Yet more importantly, to love properly also means to share in His Resurrection, His newness of life. Life here and hereafter is essentially a life of love. Without love there is no real happiness, no real joy, no real peace. If we are not willing to pay the price of loving, then we do not really wish to experience life in its fullness. For the Christian especially, to live is to love.
_______
1. St. Francis de Sales, On the Love of God, Vol. 1, Bk. 6, Ch. 1 (New York: Doubleday Image Books, 1963), p. 267.
2. Joseph de Guibert, The Theology of the Spiritual Life (New York: Sheed & Ward, 1953), p. 53.
3. Cf. R. Faricy, Teilhard de Chardin's Theology of the Christian in the World (New York: Sheed & Ward, 1967), pp. 185-196.
4. M. Nédoncelle, Love and the Person (New York: Sheed & Ward, 1966), p. 8.
5. Robert Johann, The Meaning of Love (Glen Rock, New Jersey: Paulist Press, 1966), p. 46.
6. Cf. L. Vander Kerken, Loneliness and Love (New York: Sheed & Ward, 1967), pp. 129-130.
7. Cf. Eugene Kennedy, Fashion Me a People (New York: Sheed & Ward, 1967), pp. 93-108.end of excerpt from Response in Christ
Excerpt from April 16, 2000
THIS IS AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE
Jesus speaks: My children, I am Jesus your Savior, Satan has worked to get so many to sin by violating the 6th Commandment.
I desire that people read the Catechism.
It is important that people study the pages concerning the 6th Commandment.
Study these pages with your children.
It is not loving to not instruct your children about the commandments and the truth.
Millions and millions of souls have fallen into sin because they do not obey the 6th Commandment.
I ask all to get the Catechism of the Catholic Church and to study the section on the 6th Commandment.
I ask all to instruct their children.
The Church is mother, Holy Mother the Church instructs her children in the Catechism.
Read the following pages 560 to 576, article numbers 2331 to 2400.
end of excerpt from April 16, 2000
April 16, 2000 Apostle Message
Jesus speaks: I write to you of the Reign of the Sacred Heart and what I desire concerning celibacy of religious orders and of my handmaids and servants of the Good Shepherd and others. I wish men and women to be MY special spouse, the spouse of the Lamb. I will give them great grace for living this spousal union with Me. I want them to be so aware of themselves as handmaids and servants as brides of Christ. I want them to live always aware of pleasing the Divine Bridegroom.
Men and women are to live as brothers and sisters in Christ, interacting as God wills. They will not give into passion or lust, they will live a life of purity as My spouse. Praying before the Blessed Sacrament, should be focused on Me as their Divine Bridegroom. Praying in prayer gatherings should be focused on Me. There should not be an exchange of passion between partners, not the use of God for an added thrill. I am the focus. Married couples can engage in deep-seated love with God and one another, but there, too, the primary focus is always loving God first and uniting that love to a deeper love with each other.
The love of the married couple is to be in Him. Only God can fill the hungry soul.
In my servants and handmaids there is purity in their love for God their Divine Bridegroom. In working with others, praying with others, there must be a preservation of chastity.
One dedicates his life to God and lives his life of celibacy and bridal union with God.
Staring into one another’s eyes for passionate reasons or focusing more on another person than God detracts from their special commitment as servant, handmaid or as one in celibate-related states of life.
Purity must be maintained in all states of life. Ones who are married can relate with their married other in ways that those choosing a religious life or a life of celibacy are not permitted to engage in.
The bottom line always is this, what is God’s will for you in your particular state of life?
Celibacy is a special commitment a chosen soul makes to God to enhance one’s spousal union with Me.
All are not called to the celibate’s life.
Those who I call must realize that it is a special calling I give to them.
Priests are called by Me to the highest union with Me. I want to be so one with my beloved priests.
I am Jesus, I love all of my precious souls. Everyone has a special calling from the Father to serve Him in some state of life.
God has a plan for all. Living according to the Father’s will makes you the happiest here on earth and gives you the greatest peace. Living according to His will will lead you to heaven.
end of excerpt from April 16, 2000 message
from Tell My People
Jesus speaks: "My beloved priest-companion, I have allowed you to experience in extraordinary fashion the riches contained in My Heart and My Mother's Heart. I desire that you tell all My people about these riches. I desire that My people consecrate themselves to My Sacred Heart and to Mary's Immaculate Heart. My people are living in the beginnings of the age of the Two Hearts.
"After the time of the purification is completed, this new era of the Church and the world will become firmly established. This era will be characterized by the triumph of the Immaculate Heart and the reign of My Sacred Heart. All those who consecrate themselves to My Heart and to My Mother's Heart will help to establish this glorious new age. I am Lord and Master. Please listen to My urgent request. Within Our Hearts you will experience the love and security, the peace and the joy, which you all desire. I love My people with a tremendous love, and in My love I give them this message!"
end of excerpt from Tell My People
Excerpt from December 15, 2001 message
December 14, 2001
Jesus speaks: There is an element of
trust in all that are one.
You come and dwell most deeply in My Heart.
I am the Almighty God. I am the Son of Justice. You
are My beloved one. You are the daughter of
God, you are one in God. You are so intimately
united to God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. You know
most deeply in your soul the oneness of God and yet
you know each Person in a very deep intimate
way.
God the Father speaks:
Oh My beloved, I am your Father, I see you
so afraid and yet I speak to you. I have given
you so many favors and you still fear. Oh child
it is passing, for so few years here below...
My child have faith, be stout in your heart,
not filled with fear.
Oh daughter of mine, you are attached to so many
things. You do not even know how attached
you are. You depend on your communication,
but I unite to you in your hearts.
When you pray the prayers My Son Jesus gives you,
you will be united so deeply in your hearts.
He has promised you special grace to be
united in a deep oneness in Him.
Oh child, you are so loved by your God and you
fear so much, you worry about everything,
surrender to the God who loves you, pray
to the Holy Spirit to make you courageous.
I am working in ways you do not even know
because of your fervent prayers. My love
I give to you, you are My daughter and
I love you so very much.
I see you struggle in this world. You are
My Messenger, you must deliver the message
as I have given it to you.
Many little ones are being lost, the children
of your Mother and she cries to you. On this
day December 14, 2001, I give you a special message.
You saw Father Carter for the last time one
year ago today -
December 14, 2001 message continues
God the Father speaks:
Oh My daughter, he is with Me in heaven.
He intercedes for you at My Throne. I am God
the Father. You intercede through all the angels
and saints. You intercede through all the
popes and priests in heaven. They unite in
all your prayers, they intercede for the priests,
the Church and the world.
Your intentions are pure to help the priests,
to help the people. We have outpoured Our
grace because of your faithful prayers.
Oh My Son Jesus has given you the great gifts
in His movement. He has outpoured His grace for your
faithful prayers on the priests, the Church and the
world.
December 14, 2001 message continues
God the Father speaks:
Why child do you fear?
Do you meditate on the mysteries of the rosary?
Do the mysteries of the rosary help you to be strong?
Do not fear, for I am with you. You walk as My
messenger. My Son Jesus delivers My message
to you and you fear. Oh child, harken to Me,
let go of those things that surround you now,
the worries in your heart and meditate on your
God and how He loves you. Do not ponder
the traps satan may try to set. Have faith
for your work is at hand.
Meditate as purely as you can on the
Mass and the mysteries of the rosary.
Let go of those things that make you worried
now and be in deep oneness with your God.
Spiritual Exercises - detach when you are
praying from the many problems - focus on
your love union with God and your love for
all others.
The world will be one and there will be a great
era of peace. The willful men will be rooted
out, others will change their ways. Grace
will be released. Spread the prayers given.
We are teaching the world to pray from the
image site in Clearwater, Florida.
Circulate all the prayers and the writings.
The prayers were given to you from Me.
I have attached so many graces to these
prayers given to you by My Son Jesus.
My Son is sent to you to deliver the
message of God's love.
Oh My daughter, you are so loved.
I am God the Father, have faith and do not be
afraid.
Messenger: There is a trust amongst
the members of the Shepherds of
Christ Movement.
Jesus speaks: When you
are united so deeply in My Heart
you are one with each other. You operate
for the honor and glory of God. The more
you trust and love your God, the more
you are united in deep oneness, the more
you will operate in love and with great
unity, serving God and doing the will of God.
Pray the prayers I have given you. These prayers will
unite you deeply in My Heart. You will know
oneness. The might behind you will be the
might of the Almighty God. Surrender and let
go. Let Me move in you. Operate in great
oneness following the directions I have
given you. I deliver this message through
you. You speak in one voice, it is the
message My Mother and I have given to
you to deliver.
You are united in a special way.
Your founder intercedes at the throne of God.
Pray for all the priests, the Church and the world.
Pray through the intercession of Our Lady of Clearwater/
Our Lady of Fatima in the Americas.
Pray through the intercession of the Apostles.
Pray through the intercession of all popes and
bishops and priests in heaven.
I have answered your prayers.
I have outpoured My grace because of your
prayers.
Do not be afraid.
I love you, I love you, I love you.
You must spread the prayer chapters and the
prayers all over the world!!
Circulate them.
All of My Shepherds - circulate My prayers -
lead the strayed ones home to My
Heart.
Get the Priestly Newsletter Book II with all
the prayers in the hands of My priests.
Please do as I ask, you do not know how
greatly this will effect your world.
You are afraid now - do not be - be courageous -
deliver this message -
circulate My prayers I give to you to the
hungry souls.
Circulate all the Rosary meditations and the
Blue Book love letters I give.
Oh My chosen ones do not be afraid.
Mary speaks: And I speak to you. I am
Mary your Mother,
my children, hear the words of your Father
and my Son Jesus. The Holy Spirit will fill
your hearts on fire with the love
of God.
My Son Jesus loves you so much.
He died for you.
THROUGH HIM, WITH HIM AND IN HIM
December 14, 2001 message continues
Mary speaks: do not fear, my Son
Jesus has spoken to
you. Spread the message of His love.
Excerpt from July 15, 1998
Mary speaks:
I am Mary your Mother. From my site in Florida, I want to teach my world to pray.
July 15, 1998
Daily Message from Mary
"I wish a crucifix to be placed at the site
in the main window beside my image.
My eyes are always on my Son Jesus
crucified and my Heart knows His
resurrection from the dead.
December 14, 2001 message continues
Mary speaks: this is the message I
deliver and
my Son Jesus delivers to you.
December 5, 2001
December 5, 2001
December 5, 2001
December 15, 2001
Messenger: Today is our president, John's
birthday,
Thanks to God for John our president.
My Father, I go to that place, I see the ocean far off
in the distance, I am alone with my God—Father,
Son and Holy Spirit and God spoke to me and
my Mother Mary.
My heart is filled with joy for those precious moments
when God communicates so deeply to me.
I know Him more deeply from this.
The message I received yesterday from the Father is a
message I need to read over and over again.
Many times I am so filled with fear and I do not
want to trust.
People may tell us, we are not very good, they
may tell us we acted incorrectly
they may act like that is all for us in our
relationship with them.
Jesus speaks: Many people have been mistreated. They carry
within them the fear of not being accepted. They
place their feeling of importance on being accepted
by others. They work hard to please others
hoping then they will be accepted and loved.
You are loved. You are loved by Me.
I am your God. I loved you so much I gave My life
for you on the cross. Today I give you Myself
in the Eucharist. I love you so much my child.
Messenger: Jesus has told me when we go to Him
with such
love and give Him our love so selflessly
that He outpours His life to us.
We are saturated with His life when we
receive the Eucharist with a heart that
is holy, longing and wanting Him.
Jesus speaks: I never leave you, my child, No matter
how difficult it may seem sometimes, I am
with you.
Messenger: Oh my God, I treasure Your gift of
Yourself
given to me in the Mass. I long for the Mass,
I want to be so close to you, I want time to
just be with my God, to just be alone with
Him and focus on Him.
Jesus speaks: I want you to build up your family. I
want you to build them up and love them.
I want you to help build up the Body of
Christ with your deep love.
Do you want to build up?
Do you want to tear down?
Do you love? Then you operate to build
up the Body of Christ by acting lovingly.
You are not to allow what others think of
you to effect your moods.
Some days they are tired, some days they are
edgy, people create walls by
attacking others. Some people are
very complicated. They have been
wounded, they have been trained by
wounded parents, they act in anger
many times, never examining their
consciences or ever realizing
what they say.
I carried My cross to the hill of Calvary.
I mounted it.
I hung on it for 3 agonizing hours to My death.
Do you know the agony of the crucifixion.
The men I loved so dearly crucified Me.
Luke 23: 34
Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them; they do not know what they are doing.’
December 15, 2001 message continues
Jesus speaks: Sometimes people act lovingly, sometimes
they act mean. I ask you to love always.
I loved them to My death on the cross.
I loved those that whipped Me and
persecuted Me.
I am God.
I am a God of Justice and Right.
You must be grateful for the gifts given.
See the gentle breeze, the leaves blowing
in the wind, see the gifts given to
you.
You must act as I desire you to act.
The devil can throw you off your course if
you give into him.
I am the Almighty God.
I give you My grace.
I tell you to obey My Commandments.
I ask you to be a light to shine with
My light within you.
Read the message of the Father December 14, 2001
over and over again.
I want you to be empowered, filled with
My life, filled with My light to do
My work.
How are you? The devil wants you to focus
on yourselves. Read the Blue Book Messages
Teachings to Lift you up.
Do not, do not give into satan.
Evil exists in the world.
The devil is very strong. He tries to get to you
this time of year. You operate in love.
He wants you bowed down.
You must trust in Me.
The devil attacks and he keeps taunting you
to feel bad, to give in, to be bowed
down, to feel sorry for yourself.
Who are you?
Does
it depend on what others think or say?
My greatest saints were persecuted.
The important thing is—you live every day to
be a light—you love deeply—do not
give into mood altering foods that can
get you off guard—do not miss your
rest. The devil will want you to stay up
and miss the proper rest. The devil wants
people to drink cokes and caffeine
and fill themselves with "uppers" and
"downers" found in foods.
What makes you feel good is peace deep inside.
You cannot become so busy you miss your
prayer time.
Apostles, servants and handmaids are to attend
daily Mass and spend an hour before the
tabernacle.
Satan will want you to give in to self pity. Do not continue to be
down cast, spiraling down more and more.
Celebrate this special anniversary December 17, 2001. Celebrate My Birth.
My work is at hand.
Thank your God for the gifts given.
Do not belabor the point.
There will be greater and greater pressure
as Christmas approaches from families
and friends.
Keep your focus.
Stay united to Me.
Pray often.
Pray your rosary.
Know that satan will try to attack you.
The devil says to you in negative tapes in your mind
"Oh you—holy one—HAH you aren't so good—
you should feel bad, you look bad,—
people don't like you, you are
ugly, you are fat, you are clumsy,
you are..."
Why have you come to the Virgin Mary site
December 17, 2001 and why have I asked you
to be united by a broadcast, wherever
you are?
Messenger: I sat by
the water on the quiet morning,
the leaves looked so beautiful before me,
Messenger: as if painted just for me to
see, I heard
the birds of the air singing a beautiful
tune, I heard the leaves rustling in the
wind,
Messenger: I saw the beautiful blue ocean
off in the distance and my God spoke
to me.
Messenger: I felt such peace, such
tranquility, such
joy.
Messenger: He comforted me, I felt His
special touch,
I was surrounded by this presence
when He talked to me.
Today I may fight a battle. The devil is
noisy. The music and dancers may
not be pure. The focus is the
golf game, the money markets, the
talk of the terrorist cover every Newspaper
and almost every TV station. There are
breaks in normal shows to fill us in.
I hear the message of Jesus September 6, 2001. I heard
Him speak it in that loud tone of voice.
He said strongly
OOK AT YOUR NEWS ON TELEVISIONExcerpt from September 6, 2001 message
Jesus speaks: So much money in the world and the
state of Florida.
L
L
OOK AT WHAT THE NEWS IS ON THEend of excerpt from September 6, 2001
Before September 11, 2001
September 6, 2001 message continues
Jesus speaks: It is not the responsibility of 100
people to support such a vision.It is a gift from God.
THIS SHOWS YOU THE FOCUS OF MEN
AND YOUR NEWS.end of excerpt from September 6, 2001
December 15, 2001 message continues
Jesus speaks: Do you focus on what people think?
After September 11, 2001
December 17, 2001 5 year anniversary
Jesus speaks: I wish you would focus on Mary and
why she appears.
Rosary
Say Daily Card
Consecration Card
ATTEND MASS and pray
ADORATION
December 15, 2001 message continues
Jesus speaks: I give these messages to you to help you.
Be thankful for the gifts given.
Do not give into satan to try to stop you.
Satan will press down before December 17, 2001.
Do not give into your emotions to stop the
work I wish to accomplish in you.
Pray December 17, 2001
I will grant great grace to the world as
you pray on the 5 year anniversary.
Mary desires her fervent souls to come
and pray and sing
to give honor to your God.
Unite with all the Masses going on
around the world.
Pray as a body.
Broadcast for those who can't come.
There should be deep fervent prayer
and giving thanks for all the
gifts you have been given.
Satan will want to "wipe you out."
Satan will press down.
Don't give into him.
This is a day that God has asked you to gather
and to have a special procession.
This is a day that will continue into
the night December 18, 2001 which
is the anniversary of Fr. Carter's death.
I will direct you on that eve.
You will gather to pray.
Tell all apostles, servants and handmaids
and special associates of the special
service.
Come to pray December 17, 2001.
Come to sing and give honor and praise to your God.
Have a procession as directed at the end.
Pray with a pure heart.
Be united in holy prayer.
Messenger:
Jesus speaks:
Live to do God's will.
Make peace and live to love.
Forgive one another.
Help one another to be closer to God.
Make this a Christmas of great joy
as you unite more deeply with your God
and with one another in holy prayer
and in celebration.
Be lights in the dark night.
I am Jesus Christ—
I am the Light of the World—
Pray for those using My Name in vain.
My name is to be honored.
I am to be adored and loved by men.
Messenger:
On December 14, 1995, I spoke to a special
Bishop.
On December 15, 1995 I received the great
experience talked of here. See end
of message
On December 14, 1996 Fr Carter said his first
Mass at Our Lady of the Holy Spirit Center
for the Shepherds of Christ Members.
December 15, 2001 message continues
Messenger:
On December 14, 2000 I saw Fr Carter for the
last time alive
Columbiere
December 15, 2001 message continues
Messenger: On
December 18, 2000
Fr. Carter died—
Excerpt from the Mass Book
T
HE EARTH STOPPED AND TOUCHED HEAVENI long to unite in the deepest union with Him in the Eucharist. I long for the Mass. I long for Thee, oh God. My every moment, I join as I did to You December 15 under the cross, where I felt Your presence. You whisked me away, and I was totally absorbed in that moment of celestial union with You. For that time, I existed only in You, in the deepest union, and I was in this moment existing in You. The earth stopped, and I touched the heavens, all my bodily cares were existent in You. I existed in Your Divinity, my being was in You. There was no desire or wish or wanting, for in that moment, I had all I wanted in You. I was satisfied and wanted nothing but to remain in that embrace. You were the Being, and my being existed in You, but I was only as I was in You - merged in You, knowing and being in Your Divinity and being so full as to feel complete in myself.
You are so enormous, and You surrounded me in a burning embrace, the presence of red fire. I was not little, or "nothing", but existed in this enormous power and being so complete!
I touched eternity, and in that embrace, I knew all the waiting was worth the glory. You enveloped my being, and I was truly merged in the Divine Presence. I was merged in Your being. I existed IN You, with You, in the highest union with You, although I knew I was still distinct from You.
I was fused and absorbed in You, feeling complete and satisfied. To describe this union is far beyond any work of my pen and paper. I pray for the reader of this page to receive the grace to share this experience with Him, I will now live for this union-to be forever merged In Him, to be One in Him, to reach higher perfection as I exist in Him, for He takes the lowly and gives to them a sharing in Himself. He merges with us and we exist in Him. The word "in" - I could write pages about. I long for the deepest union with Him, where I am swept up in the heavenly embrace of the Divine God, and I am IN Him.
This is heaven on earth: to be merged as one with Divinity, although remaining distinct from God, to take our feeble hearts, our lowly status and to unite ourselves with the Divine, Almighty, powerful God and in this union to be meshed with Him, that His power dominates and our humanity reaches its heights of fulfillment in this union, in this oneness with Him.
The word I have looked for is "oneness." I understand some of the meaning of the words "One in Him." Oneness is the word to describe this union of our humanity with His Divinity. The depth to which we could meditate on oneness with God is incomprehensible. In that moment, the earth stood still, and He, my Divine Lover, the Bridegroom of my soul, took me to Himself, and I knew the embrace of the Divine God.
Nothing on the face of this earth can describe our union with Divinity. Oh, good God, that creatures are so ungrateful regarding Your divine love. I am so sorry. Let me help make reparation to Your adorable Heart. Please unite with me now that I may more deeply love Thee.
Oh, Divine Lover of my soul, let me help make reparation to Your adorable Heart for the neglect and indifference against You.
Song from Jesus: I come to you with greatest love. I am your loving Savior. I am your God. I died for you. I come to you this day.
He allowed me to experience such pain in my heart - wanting Him so badly, so many times-and then on Dec. 15, 1995 - He gave Himself to me in the deepest union.
Nothing satisfies the soul but Him. He wants the nuns and priests to love Him. He chose them to spread His love.
Souls are hungry. They will only be fed with His burning love. Priests need to talk about Jesus' love for us from the pulpit. Priests need hearts burning for love of Jesus. This will feed the hungry souls - lip service love doesn't do it.
He is alive today. He is a Person. He wants us to love Him.
end of December 17, 1995 Mass Book entry
Excerpt from the Mass Book
IN THE DEEPEST RECESSES OF HIS HEART
The place Jesus took me was into the deepest recesses of His Heart. I was enveloped in His burning love. It was a red room with heat and an intense glow. I was swept away in this embrace, and I only existed in Him. The power of the Almighty God enveloped me, and I only existed in Him. There was no fear, for I was existent in this Almighty Being. My heart was wrapped in the eternal embrace of this Supreme Being. The security, the power I know was His deep presence in which I existed.
I knew the room was red and warm. I knew His immenseness, but I felt my own completeness in Him. I did not feel little, as a speck, but elevated and empowered for I existed then in Him in a most special way.
I was overtaken by the love of God. The fire of the Holy Spirit filled me. I was absorbed by the love of the Father, and I existed IN Him and in the deepest recesses of the Heart of Jesus. Our heaven on earth is these inner chambers of His magnificent Heart - the Heart of the Almighty God, with all the power, with omnipotence, with the fire of the love of God. He took me to the deepest chamber of this fiery Heart, and in that moment, I touched eternity, for I knew what it was to be enveloped in the deep furnace of His love. I now want to exist in this chamber of His Heart, swept away in His burning love, absorbed in my every cell with His love.
We do not understand the fire of His love. We do not understand what it is to be absorbed by love itself. He took me to the inner, deepest chamber of His Heart, and I felt the heat and knew the presence of love itself, and there was no fear, only a feeling of completeness, omnipotence, all-embracing, penetrating love - a power indescribable in words, a saturation of my being in the presence of God, and I was as I was created to be - living in Him!
This is how I will forever live my life, saturated with His divine life and love deep within this inner chamber of His burning Heart, living in Him as He possesses my being, and I operate with His power in me.
Little creatures though we are, we are His, His power, His life, flowing through us. In Him, we are as the Father intended: one in Him, each one of us, dwelling in this fiery furnace of His love. With our fears quieted and our hearts empowered by His life, we live forever in Him - in the Heart of Jesus.
Let no man separate what God has joined together. I am wed in the deepest love with my beloved Spouse, wed to the Heart of Jesus. As I am, I am one in Him. I live and I breathe in Him. He, Who is love, He Who is our all, He Who is mighty and without limits, He Who is, He Who is God and as I live, He lives in me in this world.
I am wed to Him, and I shall not fear for He is God - one, complete, loving, God. Heart of Jesus, I place my trust in Thee. As I live, I live in Your most adorable Heart, the furnace of God's love!
end of December 18, 1995 writing
December 15, 2001 message continues
Messenger: Well it
was six years ago today December 15, 1995,
I had this experience in the back of Holy Cross-
Immaculata. I still remember it as if it
just happened. I remember the Lord becoming
transfigured before me several times in
early January 1996 in the front of the Church
and then I remember Christ appearing at the
point of death on the cross December 5, 1996
in the back of the Church several days before
Mary appeared on the building December 17, 1996.
Here is how Jesus and Mary appeared December 5, 2001
this year. It was awesome.
December 5, 2001
December 5, 2001
December 5, 2001
December 15, 2001 message continues
Messenger: As I sit
here at Holy Cross-Immaculata about the
same time of this great experience December 15, 1995
I want to so deeply experience that presence of
God-Father, Son and Holy Spirit again. I was
overwhelmed with the presence that day, I remember
it so well. It was as if I was taken into this red glowing
chamber and I existed so intimately in God and
I was united so deeply to all three Persons. I was
deeply connected to Mary also, but it was all in a
oneness I cannot describe and I felt more
completely one in God and satisfied more than
any other experience in my life. I felt I wanted
for nothing. I felt a completeness of existing like
that in Him.
I did see the red glowing chamber, it was His Heart
I believe and it gave me so much peace when ever I
even recalled it. Great peace and great joy.
Today is a very special day to me because
of this experience. I think it is interesting
our president, John was born on this day.
He really is a great gift from God, and he
very selflessly serves the movement day after
day and has for over five years. We are very
glad God gave us our president on this day
December 15 many years ago. He has been
our president for a long time in Shepherds of
Christ years. A lot has been accomplished in
those five years. Fr. Carter received the
direction to make him the president,
Fr. Carter received the direction to have
Emily next in line and in charge of
Florida and the handmaids.
Fr. Carter really directed the movement
from his messages and the messages
I received.
Now God the Father tells us Father Carter
is interceding for us in heaven.
THROUGH HIM, WITH HIM AND IN HIM
December 15, 2001 message continues
Messenger:
We have been given so many gifts from God.
December 17, 2001 will be a special celebration
and Jesus promises to send us special grace.
Please pray for us and with us.
Excerpt from August 24, 2000 message
Jesus speaks: I write to you of love. All men want to be loved. My servants and handmaids have a special calling from Me to be My special spouse. They know so much how I love them.
Married persons, mother, father in a family, must also have a deep spousal union with Me. They also share in a special way their love with each other.
More and more I will call special spouses to My Movement as servants and handmaids. The servants and handmaids majorly contribute in running the Movement because their lives are given completely to Me. Servants and handmaids live in love in a community.
There are some sub-servants and sub-handmaids that live their lives in the world. They take a promise in their hearts to live a life of celibacy, which may change, but they so live now and serve the Movement in a special way.
The apostles serve in a special way. Many are married and have children. Some live with their families. Some live in apostle houses and serve as do those in Florida. They are still free to marry if they so choose. Apostles contribute majorly in the Movement, also. Both servants, handmaids, and apostles contribute to running the Movement.
Whatever way you have been called to serve, it is in living in great love according to your calling that will make a big difference to My mission.
Some people, when they are alone, feel abandoned or lonely. The Movement does not exist to fill your starved soul, for you will always have a desire in your heart for deeper union with Me, and no one will satisfy it here below.
Members in the Shepherds of Christ must come from a deep knowledge and realization of how deeply I love them, and when they are physically alone, they know I am still with them in a very special way.
The ache in your heart for love will not be satisfied as you so desire here below.
You must see the great job you are doing in helping Me reach souls, and not listen to the promptings of Satan that tries to get you focused on yourselves and your desire for wrongful recognition from those here below.
SPEND YOUR LIFE TRYING TO PLEASE ME YOUR SPOUSE.
SATAN TRIES TO GET YOU FOCUSED ON YOURSELVES AND THE WRONGS OF OTHERS.
When the ache comes in your heart, that of emptiness, ask yourself if you need to build up a community of Shepherds of Christ people in a prayer group.
If I am calling you to serve Me and you are doing all that you are supposed to, then you must realize that many times I allow you to suffer. You may suffer loneliness. Identify with Me in the garden. My Heart was in such pain.
I must be the One you turn to in need.
If you are a Shepherd of Christ apostle or leader living far from the centers, you must stay connected through the messages. I am giving the daily message for you that you will be connected as a body and know exactly what I want you to do.
The Daily Messages are the way I am directing My Movement. They are a gift, you must study them.
STUDY, LOVE, LEARN, stay united to the authority in the Movement. If you are working as a leader "out there", it is important you do the right thing.
I am Jesus. I am directing the Movement in My daily messages.
I give direction through My leaders.
You have made great advances in all the seeds you have planted.
Sit down and think of all the good accomplished, and praise God for the great work that is being accomplished in you.
YOU ARE PLANTING MY SEEDS.
I love you so much. Give praise for the good works being accomplished and obey the directions so you are all united following My lead.
I love you so much.
One mind and one heart in Jesus, that is your goal!!
SHEPHERDS OF CHRIST.
That is you - you are My Shepherds helping to lead the flock home to My Heart.
I am Jesus, Chief Shepherd of the Flock.
end of excerpt from August 24, 2000 message
Excerpt from February 15, 2002 message
Jesus speaks: Make
a list of things that are needed so people
can help if they so desire.
Messenger:
A small list is this
1) Priestly Newsletter Book II Foreign Mailing Postage
2) Mass Book II
3) Rosary Meditations for Little People and Elderly
4) Blue Book I printing (we have no Blue Book I's)
5) Blue Book III printing (we have no Blue Book III's)
6) Prayer Manuals printing
7) Holy Spirit Novena Booklet printing
8) Rosary beads
9) Image rosaries to sell
10) Pictures (photo's) to make available
11) Blankets of Mary's image
12) Videos for nursing home program
|
|
13) Little People's Mass Book
|
Little People's |
14) Little People's Coloring Book of the Mass
February 15, 2002 message continues
Mary speaks:
I ask you to pray for these needs on the list. Those
who can, can pray hourly.
end of excerpt from February 15, 2002
February 7, 2002
To whom it may concern,
We circulate the Priestly Newsletter that goes to 75,000 priests in the world. This has been circulated since 1994 at the direction of Fr. Edward Carter, S.J. who had a doctorate in Theology and taught at Xavier University for over thirty years and author of eighteen books on the spiritual life and many other various publications.
Our primary purpose is to circulate this Newsletter. We are now sending three years of Newsletters in a book of 342 pages to 75,000 priests in the United States and 90 foreign countries. A special Newsletter is enclosed with Father Carter's powerful writing on Grace (2001 issue 1). This writing is also available on tape and on disc.
Our coequal purpose is to circulate prayer manuals Father Carter compiled for prayer chapters praying for the priests, the Church and
the world.All of our printing and postage costs so much money.
We operate from the Virgin Mary building in Clearwater, Florida, pictures are enclosed. We use the building to spread materials and rosaries
to encourage people to pray for the priests, the Church and the world.We also have a church we received from the diocese in China, Indiana where we distribute our materials and pray before the Blessed Sacrament hourly and about two hours or more at 6:20 every day. Monthly adoration before the exposed Eucharist is held for our members for 48 hours on the 12th of each month to the 14th.
We have a third center in Morrow, Ohio which is our communication center and mailing address.
We circulate rosaries handmade to Catholic schools all over the United States and meditation sheets and consecration cards. We try to send scapulars too when we have them. We supply many beads to our rosary makers for this.
We had difficulty all last summer securing funds for beads for our rosary makers. We were not able to send the 100,000 or more rosaries we usually send in October and May because of funds.
We need $10,000 every month for the loan on the Virgin Mary building. We pray nightly there usually for about two hours or more at 6:20. We pray all through the day there, hourly, many times before the image. A big prayer meeting is held on the 5th of the month. Prayers are prayed for about 4 hours for the priests, the Church and the world. We broadcast to at least 8 states and all join in the prayers, including Morrow and China.
We have a nursing home ministry and a prison ministry. We supply coloring books of the rosary mysteries and the Mass to children.
We desperately need funds for the printing and the rosary making operation and all the postage. Bishops from foreign countries beg for rosaries and prayer sheets with the Shepherds of Christ Prayers.
Now we are struggling with the monthly rent on the building and the postage for the foreign mailing of the Priestly Newsletter Book II.
We always need money for the rosary beads for the schools and the Virgin Mary building.
We also do a Holy Spirit Novena, but the little book has been out of print for some time because of lack of funds. Teachers like to use it for confirmation. We have prayer chapters using it daily all over the world.
We want to circulate pictures of the crucifix and Mary's image on the building, we are unable to do this because of lack of funds. Enclosed are pictures of the crucifix and the Virgin Mary building.
A very important part of our Movement is trying to get people to say the Morning Offering. Here is a card we distribute extensively, especially to Nursing Homes and school children.
Here is a short form of consecration to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary that we circulate extensively.
Can you help us. It is a real shame to not even have rent on the building Mary appears on.We need to tell the world about the Mass. This is another important aspect of our ministry. We have so many writings about the Mass. Mass Book I with the Imprimatur—and all Fr. Carter's writings and many other writings discerned by Fr Carter before his death.
It is a shame with all the money in the world not to be able to get the rosary beads to the rosary makers for school children who want them to pray the rosary.
Our movement is trying to do what Our Lady told us to do at Fatima for peace in the world.
Can you help us?
Rita Ring
Shepherds of Christ Ministries
Messenger: Jesus wishes that we give our hearts to Him and Mary.
The following Valentine can be given to Jesus and Mary any day of the year. It is an act of love that would greatly please Him.
Use the following Valentine to fill in your name and the date you gave it to Him.
MY VALENTINE FOR JESUS AND MARY
AND THE WORLDI _________________ give my heart to
You Jesus and Mary on this day
_________________
I promise to help spread the devotion to
the Hearts of Jesus and Mary.
The Story of the Crucifix Video
If you have a good dialup connection, you should be able to watch the movie live.
Click Here for help with Videos
click here to download The Story of the Crucifix video
Nursing Home Mass Video
We updated the Nursing videos so that if you have a good dialup
connection, you should be able to watch the movie live.Click Here for help with Videos
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PDF file of Advertisement #1
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Copyright
© 2002 Shepherds of Christ.Shepherds of Christ Ministries
PO Box 193
Morrow, Ohio 45152-0193
Telephone: (toll free) 1-888-211-3041 or (513) 932-4451
FAX: (513) 932-6791
Mary
talks to the Nursing Homes
